Chapter 48 up
“What else do you want from me?!”
Selena’s voice exploded even before Clark had a chance to close the door. She stood in the living room with her hair in disarray, eyes red and swollen, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. On the table, a phone vibrated nonstop—missed calls, messages deleted before they were ever read.
Clark closed the door slowly. Click. The small sound landed like a final hammer strike. He didn’t answer. He set his jacket down and looked at Selena with a cold expression he had never shown her before.
“You’re looking at me like that?” Selena let out a short, bitter laugh. “You think I’m the villain now?”
Clark took one step forward. “I think you’re panicking.”
Selena stopped. “I’m pregnant,” she said quickly, as if it were a talisman. “I’m exhausted. I’m under pressure. Everyone is accusing me—”
“—and you lashed out,” Clark cut in. His tone was flat, dangerous. “You contacted people you shouldn’t have. You ordered something you shouldn’t have.”
Selena moved closer, pointing at her own chest. “You’re accusing me of kidnapping? You’re insane!”
Clark pulled out his phone and placed it on the table, screen facing up. “I just want you to explain.”
“Explain what?” Selena laughed again, louder this time. “That Vincent poisoned your mind? That woman—”
“Don’t say her name,” Clark said sharply.
Selena flinched, then smiled with open contempt. “Oh. So now she’s untouchable? She’s the one who made you hate me.”
Clark stared at her without blinking. “I hate lies.”
Selena stormed to the window, yanked the curtains aside, then spun back. “I didn’t do anything. Anything! I was just protecting myself and my child.”
“By paying hired men?” Clark asked quietly.
Selena fell silent for a fraction of a second. Too short. Too honest.
“I—I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said quickly. “Everyone has enemies.”
Clark gave a small nod, as if filing it away. “True. And who are your enemies, Selena?”
“You,” Selena replied without thinking. The word slipped out before she could stop it. She froze, her face draining of color. “I mean—them. Those people.”
Clark pressed a button on his phone. A small icon lit up. Selena stared at it, her eyes narrowing. “What is that?”
“A reminder,” Clark said shortly.
Selena stepped closer, aggressive. “Turn it off!”
“Why?” Clark didn’t move. “If you have nothing to hide.”
Selena slammed her palm against the table. “Because I’m tired! Because you’re cornering a pregnant woman!”
Clark leaned forward slightly. “Tell me about the order.”
“What order?” Selena screamed. “I never—”
“—‘She must not die.’” Clark said it softly, each word dropping like a stone. “That sentence.”
Selena froze. Her breath caught. “That… that—”
“You said it,” Clark continued. “Or at least someone very close to you did.”
Selena laughed hysterically, pacing in tight circles. “You’re making this up! You’re trapping me!”
“You know,” Clark said, holding his anger in check, “innocent people usually don’t need to scream.”
Selena stopped right in front of him. “I did this for us!” she shouted. “For our family! You know what will happen if she comes back? She’ll take you from me. She’ll destroy everything!”
Clark exhaled slowly. “So you made her disappear.”
“I just wanted time!” Selena screamed. “Time for you to choose me!”
Silence. The words hung in the air, heavy, irreversible. Selena’s eyes widened as she realized her fatal mistake. Her hands began to shake.
Clark didn’t react immediately. He just stared at her in silence, then tapped his phone. The recording light was still on.
“You just confessed,” he said quietly.
Selena took a step back. “No. No. You twisted my words.”
“You said ‘made her disappear,’” Clark replied. “You said ‘time.’”
Selena shook her head rapidly. “I meant keeping her away. Away from your life. That’s not a crime.”
“With chains?” Clark asked softly. “With blood?”
Selena clapped her hands over her ears. “Stop!”
Clark stepped forward. “Did you name them?”
Selena broke down, sobbing. “I… I only made the calls. I didn’t touch her.”
“You paid,” Clark cut in. “You gave the orders.”
Selena collapsed onto the floor, then surged back up, rage overtaking her. She grabbed a vase and lifted it high. “Turn it off! Turn off the recording!”
Clark didn’t back away. “Put it down.”
“Turn it off!” Selena hurled the vase at the wall—it shattered. Shards flew everywhere. “You have no right!”
“You have no right to hurt anyone,” Clark shot back.
Selena advanced, her eyes wild. “If you drag me down, you drag this child with me!” She slapped her stomach hard. “Do you want to live with their blood on your hands?”
Clark recoiled. “Don’t use the child as a shield.”
“He’s all I have!” Selena screamed. “You abandoned me!”
“I abandoned lies,” Clark said. “And I won’t stop.”
Selena went still, then smiled strangely. “You think you’ve won?”
Clark met her gaze. “I think the truth has.”
Selena shook her head slowly, tears mixing with laughter. “You have no idea what I did to get here.”
“Enough,” Clark said. “This is over.”